HomeCoursesAccountingBachelor degree
Bachelor degree · university
Bachelor of Professional Accounting
This degree gives a solid grounding in accounting and business.
- How long it takes
- 3 years
- full time
- Entry ATAR
- From 52.7
- Lowest offered at Federation University Australia, 2023
- How you can study
- Online or on campus
- Includes a work placement
- Leads on to
- Financial Accountant
- $104,200 median pay
- Taught by
- 4 providers
- NSW, VIC, QLD
Is this course right for you?
What the Bachelor of Professional Accounting asks of you, and what you might want to check first.
It helps to have
- an interest in numbers and how businesses manage money
- comfort with spreadsheets and financial records
- attention to detail when checking figures
- an honest and methodical approach to your work
Before you start
Each provider sets its own entry requirements, so check the ones you are considering.
Bachelor or Graduate Certificate?
The Bachelor of Professional Accounting is a bachelor degree, while the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting is a graduate certificate. The bachelor degree is the higher level.
See the courseWhere this course can take you
Jobs this qualification is a recognised route into, and the study that can follow it.
Jobs you can do with it
External Auditor
External auditors examine an organisation's financial records and test its controls, then give an independent opinion on whether its financial statements are true and fair.
What else you need
Complete the accounting major and relevant professional subjects. Professional designations, statutory audit sign-off and tax-agent registration have further requirements; this route does not confer them.
Median pay$109,400
In demandFinancial Accountant
Financial accountants prepare the statements and reports a business uses to meet its tax and reporting obligations.
What else you need
Complete the accounting major and relevant professional subjects. Professional designations, statutory audit sign-off and tax-agent registration have further requirements; this route does not confer them.
Median pay$104,200
Financial Analyst
Financial analysts build the forecasts and models a business uses to decide where its money goes.
What else you need
Complete the accounting major and relevant professional subjects. Professional designations, statutory audit sign-off and tax-agent registration have further requirements; this route does not confer them.
Median pay$109,200 (estimate)
Pay is the median for everyone in the job, and “In demand” means the job is on the national shortage list. Pay marked as an estimate is our own analysis, not a published figure.
Where you can study this course
There are 4 places you can study this course. When you compare them, check they teach it the way you want to study, how far you'd be from a campus, what it will cost you and what past students say about the teaching and support. They're listed by how often people search for them, and none of them pays to be here or to move up.
- Course page for Macquarie University (opens in a new tab)
Macquarie University
North Ryde, NSW
4.4from 1,202 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
What students like
- Lecturers care and help students understand
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Student support can be hard to reach
- Course page for University of Wollongong (opens in a new tab)
University of Wollongong
UOW South Western Sydney, UOW Southern Sydney, Wollongong, NSW
4.3from 747 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
- (full or part time)
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Course and assessment changes can disrupt study
- Course page for Holmes Institute (opens in a new tab)
Holmes Institute
4 campuses, NSW, QLD, VIC
3.8from 1,115 Google reviews
- How you study
- On campus
What students like
- Front desk staff are helpful with enrolment and fees
- Lecturers and staff are supportive and friendly
What to weigh up
- Enrolment and admin can be slow
- Phone calls and emails can go unanswered
- Help can be hard to find when problems come up
Federation University Australia
4 campuses, VIC
4.2from 562 Google reviews
- ATAR
- 52.7 lowest
- (52.7 median, 2023)
- How you study
- Online or on campus
- (full or part time)
What you’ll learn
The main topics covered in the Bachelor of Professional Accounting.
- Financial accounting and reporting
- Management accounting
- Taxation
- Auditing
- Business law
Questions to ask before you enrol
Providers run this course differently, so the answers change from one to the next.
- When is the next intake, and how many are there each year?
- What is the total cost, including materials, checks and any placement costs?
- Can I study part time or online, and how does that change the length?
- Who arranges the work placement, and how many hours does it involve?
- Do the units count towards a higher qualification if I go on to study further?
Questions people ask
Do I need experience or other qualifications first?
Entry requirements are set by each provider, so check with the provider you choose.
How is it different from Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting?
The Bachelor of Professional Accounting is a bachelor degree, while the Graduate Certificate in Professional Accounting is a graduate certificate. The bachelor degree is the higher level.